After Age of Revelation, Wolverine is making the best of a camping trip, so to speak, with Silver Sable and him shacking up while trying to keep young mutants alive. Not quite the vacation the young mutants were looking for, but in Wolverine #17, Wolverine has a bit of a side quest in his element before a big bad arrives next month.
Wolverine #17 is an interesting issue in how much it does, while also treading water as we wait for a supervillain to pop up. Wolverine is truly in his element here, making love to Silver Sable and opening up his animal side, while harkening back to his training days to keep new mutants Deepfake and Ape alive.
The issue opens with a bit of a training session, and Martin Coccolo gets to show off the new mutant powers and let Wolverine lean into his ferocity. Some horny energy between Silver Sable and Wolverine transitions into a scene where Logan helps some locals. It’s in this scene that Wolverine’s internal monologue appears via captions, taking the narrative to a classic, poetic Wolverine place.
He’s feral!
Credit: Marvel
Eight pages in, this issue doesn’t progress the larger plot, but instead seems to be framing a life where Wolverine can be his happiest. It’s not much, but for him it is. Before long, a child goes missing, and Wolverine must use his tracking skills to find him.
This portion of the issue ramps up the action with a monster-of-the-week mutant to take down. The mutant’s creative design and mutant powers make for a unique fight, with Wolverine at a disadvantage. Saladin Ahmed and Coccolo establish this new character quickly and effectively, making you worry for Logan’s life and making him work for the win.
The rest of the issue is all set up for what comes next, as the Adamantine is certainly arriving in issue #18. He’s been teased for af ew issues now, so his inclusion feels warranted.
Wolverine #17 is an interesting read, in part because it’s a bit of a breezy jumping-on point, but also, nothing too big happens. It’s mostly establishing a life Wolverine will want to fight for, since Adamantine is likely going to try to take it all away. This is a breather before the storm, offering a glimpse of the life Logan might actually want while quietly reminding readers how easily it could be ripped away. Ahmed leans into Wolverine’s feral competence and reflective edge, pairing survivalist action with a softer look at companionship and responsibility. The monster-of-the-week conflict delivers satisfying tension, even if the broader narrative barely shifts forward. As a standalone character piece, it works well. As a chapter in a bigger arc, it clearly exists to position the pieces before Adamantine arrives to smash the board.
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